Creative Dance

Introduction

Dance Analysis

Section 1

Section 2 

Section 3

Section 4

Management Suggestions

Assessment Strategy

Teacher Reflections

Resources

Dr Hopper Website
 

Introduction

 

to

 

"Falling Leaves"

This dance will have the children showing the story of autumn leaves as they travel through the air and eventually settle on the ground. It begins with them attached to an imaginary branch, frozen in a shape of their choosing. They are gradually set free and travel gently and softly as though it is a calm day. The music will then change, signally an approaching wind storm. The leaves move more energetically, whirling and leaping throughout the air. Then the wind calms down and the leaves gently settle to the ground below.

 

 

 

 

This dance is appropriate for students in grade two for a number of reasons:

1. The music has very distinct changes in it. Students can use these cues to let them know when they should change the way they are moving. This eliminates the need for counting beats, which would be difficult in a piece this long.

2. There are very few 'steps' for the students to memorize. The sequence is made up of four main sections and within each section they are able to choose and explore two or three different types of movement.

 

3. Students have opportunities throughout the dance to take a break if they become tired. All they have to do is freeze and hold a shape to indicate that they (as a leaf) are stuck on an object or being momentarily held steady by a gust of wind.

4. Although the dance involves a great deal of free movement and choice, it is developed in a structured manner. As Mary Joyce writes in her book 'The First Steps in Teaching Creative Dance to Children,' it's critical that creative dances are taught through structured activities (p.11). This unit provides a number of activities that will help children focus and explore the elements in more interesting ways than they probably would try on their own.

• Entry ability

Students must be able to move safely throughout the gym, avoiding others
 Students must be familiar with the image of falling leaves

• Exit ability

Students will be able to demonstrate body awareness as they perform movements such as 'drift,' 'whirl' and 'settle.'

Students will be able to respond to music with appropriate movement

Students will have an understanding of a variety of movement words, including 'drift,' 'whirl,' 'leap,' and 'settle.'

Connections to the BC curriculum can be found here: BC IRP for Dance (K - 7)

Applicable Learning Outcomes :

Fine Arts (Dance)

• move safely in both personal and general space
• move in a variety of levels, pathways, and directions, using a variety of body shapes
• move in time to a variety of rhythms, metres, and tempos
• demonstrate balance in movements
• move expressively to a variety of sounds and music
• demonstrate respect for the contributions of others
• demonstrate an awareness of appropriate performance skills and audience etiquette

PE (Dance)

• perform simple movement sequences using elements of body and space awareness
• perform simple movement sequences using elements of body and space awareness, qualities, and relationships

CONNECTIONS:

This dance could easily be integrated with a unit on Autumn.

Activities from different areas of the curriculum that would connect well include:

Art: Leaf Printing

Language Arts: Writing and reading Autumn poems and stories

Math: Comparing leaves

Science: Find out why leaves change colours

This dance could also be modified to fit a winter theme. Instead of using the imagery of leaves, teachers may prefer to base the dance on the first snowfall of the season.